Columbia Gorge Students Explore Maritime Careers Through Hands-On Events

Apr 15

Written By Columbia Community Connection

From Columbia Gorge STEM Hub:

By Nicole Tolmie

The Dalles, Ore., April 15, 2025 — More than 160 eighth graders from The Dalles Middle School participated in Maritime Career Days held at Columbia Gorge Community College’s Regional Skills Center on February 25th and 27th. The event offered students immersive, hands-on experiences with labs dedicated to 3D printing, welding, construction, and machine prototyping, led by CGCC faculty.

Students connected with local organizations and companies working on and around the Columbia River, exploring careers in conservation, transportation, and maritime industries. The event aimed to bridge classroom learning with real-world career opportunities.

Students engaged with a wide range of businesses and community partners who generously contributed their time, expertise, and resources to make the event a success:

● Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum – Event host.

● Columbia Gorge STEM Hub – Provided funding support.

● Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC) Regional Skills Center – Event venue and program partner.

● Army Corps of Engineers – Discussed river and dam-related careers.

● Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission – Shared efforts to ensure a unified voice in fishery resource management.

● Columbia Riverkeeper – Presented conservation career opportunities, including grant writing, legal work, and water quality monitoring.

● Hood River Watershed Group – Spoke about local watershed conservation efforts.

● Shaver Transportation – Presented career paths in the tugboat and barge industry.

● Skookum Outfitters – Highlighted guiding and recreational career opportunities on the river.

● Sea Scouts Troop of The Dalles – Led hands-on activities and showcased how participation prepares students for maritime careers.

The timing of the event, scheduled just before students’ High School Fly-Up Day, allowed them to see the connection between Columbia Gorge Community College Career Technical Education (CTE) programs and their educational pathways. Students learned how they can begin training for skilled trades during their junior and senior years by enrolling in relevant CTE courses at The Dalles High School.

An 8th Grader from The Dalles Middle School shared, “We are thankful for the efforts in creating a fun and informative experience for our 8th grade class. The amount of thought put into the stations and lessons presented to us and hiring volunteers from around the region to show us the many occupations we could do, was greatly appreciated.”

Building on this momentum, students from Innovations Academy and District 21 TAG (Talented & Gifted) students participated in a special visit to the USCGC Bluebell on April 2nd at The Dalles Marina. Hosted by the United States Coast Guard, the event featured tours of the inland buoy tender responsible for maintaining navigation aids along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Students explored careers in the Coast Guard, working on boats, and essential operations ensuring safe and efficient river navigation.

“These events are essential for connecting students with tangible career pathways that go beyond the familiar,” said Danny Cosgrove, Director of Education at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum. “Everyone’s heard of becoming a teacher, lawyer, or electrician, but we’re introducing possibilities like working as a deckhand, piloting a vessel, or welding together barges. By providing direct engagement with industry professionals and higher education, we’re empowering students to explore locally available career opportunities that allow them to work on, with, or for our river.”

This project was funded, in contract with East Cascades Works, by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) through the Maritime Workforce Grant, established by House Bill 3410 (2023).

Columbia Gorge STEM Hub is a department of Columbia Gorge Education Service District. To learn more about the STEM Hub’s work in our region, visit: www.gorgestem.org.